What we do
: Our purpose is to try to encourage others to help us to make a difference.
: Often we help people and projects simply because there is an urgent need for help.
: We offer the hope of a better life, which can be found through Jesus Christ.
: We alleviate the suffering and hardship of those in great need through practical help.
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Bringing Good News

The purpose of Bringing Good News is to positively advance the proclamation of the gospel. To actively relieve poverty and suffering, along with intentionally supporting self sufficiency. Bringing Good News partners with others to make a difference.

Ian Thomson

Ian Thomson

My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 1996, I attended a Christian conference and during that event I developed a clear sense that God wanted me to bring good news to the poor. After the conference I spent the next two years wondering what this meant and who were the poor that I was to help. Then, in 1998, I visited an orphanage in Ukraine. I lived in the orphanage with the children for two weeks and those two weeks changed my life. I no longer asked the question who were the poor. The answer was obvious. I was sure that I could do something to help these children. I returned home to England and started to think how I could assist them. I began to regularly visit orphanages and internats in Ukraine, giving practical help to improve the conditions for the children. Internats are very poor, State-run institutions with a mixture of orphans and vulnerable children from very poor families. As the work developed, I formed a UK registered charity in December of 2002, with an initial board of three trustees. The charity has continued to grow and our present board consists of myself, my wife, Helen Thomson,Ali Lenton, Maggie Smith and Steve Taverner. Through the support of an American friend, Fred Judd, who in 2002 was the missions pastor for the church at Brookhills in Birmingham, AL, links were formed in the United States. The work of Bringing Good News continued to develop, not only helping those in great need Ukraine, but also in Central Asia and Africa. This led to Bringing Good News USA being formed and registered as a USA 501 C3 in 2006. The present directors in the USA are Denny Barrow, Pam Barrow and Fred Judd.
2012-01-grad-ceremonyFirst graduation from Bishop Ngalamu Bible College
We have supported Bishop Ngalamu Bible College in Mundri, South Sudan with beds, mattresses, mosquito nets and desks. We also helped them start a small agricultural project at the college. On Saturday 17th December 2011 they held their first graduation of 14 Bible College students who have spent three years studying theology and community development. We wish them every success in the future. Every blessing, ...
Tags: Bishop Ngalamu Bible College, South Sudan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
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on Tuesday, 10 January 2012 Africa
2011-12-nuba-peopleBishop Andudu and Rev Martin managed to escape the terrible bloodshed in Nuba Mountains
I have recently heard from my friend in Khartoum that two of the pastors in this picture have reached Khartoum with over 130 families and managed to escape the terrible slaughter that happened in June 11 when the northern troops came into the Nuba Mountains to kill the blacks and destroy the church. Bishop Andudu on the right was out of the country at the time receiving medical treatment. When I asked him about some of the people I knew he said Rev Martin managed to escape to Juba and that the security forces had put red crosses by their names as being the most wanted men. He told me that his sister and mother walked for two weeks through the bush but they are safe. Bishop Andudu has raised funds to send medicine to the...
Tags: Bishop Andudu, Nuba people, Sudan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Sunday, 11 December 2011 Africa

Darfur, Sudan water project update

ian-signature
Just heard from Spencer Sutton on his way to Darfur in Sudan to look at water projects. It is amazing the way Spencer came to Ukraine with me in May 06 and was so inspired to serve the Lord that he came back to the States, sold his business and started the charity Never Thirst. His charity is now helping communities in India and Africa. Check him out on his website Neverthirstwater.org. Every blessing, ...
Tags: Darfur, Never Thirst, Spencer Sutton, Sudan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Thursday, 24 November 2011 Africa
2011-10-viktor-with-childrenViktor with children
For over 20 years Viktor has been caring for poor families with a large number of children and visiting and helping orphans and street children, yet the highest academic qualification to his name is that of a bee keeper. One of the stories that Viktor told me was about the village of Krasnya. Although the church was opposite the Internat School they could not get any children to go their Sunday school so they asked Viktor for help. The old ladies in the church said the director of the school was very difficult because her mother had Tarot cards and many people visited her. Viktor went to the school and as he got there a child who he had helped in the past called out to Viktor and they started to talk. The director saw the...
Tags: Christian Medical Association, Krasnya, Ukraine, Viktor Mychalaovich
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Thursday, 20 October 2011 Ukraine

The Narrow Way

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Jo has been drawing me brilliant pictures for a number of years which I use to tell children Bible stories. It is so easy with her drawings to keep the kids attention. This story that Jesus told about the two roads through life I have just used in 8 orphanages, two schools and in a pastor’s home. This drawing of the narrow road was so well done that it was simple to explain it is not easy to follow Jesus. But notice the lovely rainbow colours at the end of the road. Every blessing, ...
Tags: Jo, Ukraine
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 Ukraine

Dilya Kasimova is one of the students we sponsor in Tajikistan

2011-09-dilya-kasimova
Dilya is now 20 years old. She was born in Gafurov Town in Tajikistan. She is the eldest in a large family with 3 other sisters and one brother. Dilya and the rest of the family really wanted her to study but because of the size of the family her parents could not afford it. Dilya is very active in helping in her youth club in Gafurov. Bringing Good News has been sponsoring Dilya for three years and her studies have gone well. She has now been accepted to work part time in the police and you see her in her new uniform. Every blessing, ...
Tags: Dilya Kasimova, Gafurov, Tajikistan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Sunday, 11 September 2011 Central Asia

Children in Katuba Township in the Congo

2011-08-katuba-township-children
African children are great fun I did not go to the Congo representing Bringing Good News but just wanted to let you know what I have been doing this month. I was invited by Peter Butt, the director of School of Ministry, to go with him to teach pastors and leaders in the Katanga Province of Congo. We were invited by Pastor Joseph Kalenga, of Jacob’s Well church in Katuba Township, to give Bible teaching to pastors and leaders. The people were warm, friendly and very enthusiastic to receive the Bible teaching. I thoroughly enjoyed the ministry. In the evenings we had great times of celebration with lots of passionate prayer, singing, dancing and beating of drums. Although by our standards they are very poor they can certainly teach us something about dynamic prayer and colourful...
Tags: Congo, Jacob's Well church, Pastor Joseph Kalenga, Peter Butt
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Thursday, 11 August 2011 Africa

Khartoum government ruthlessly killing the Nuba people

2011-07-nuba-children
Bishop Andudu was out of the country for medical treatment when the northern troops started their attack on the Nuba people on the 6th June. He believes he would have joined many others in a mass grave if he had been there. He writes, “Once again we are facing the nightmare of genocide of our people in a final attempt to erase our culture and society from the face of the earth. The Times newspaper wrote, “The shelling came first. Then soldiers swept through the town followed by attacks from Antonov bombers and MiG fighter jets. Once the northern troops of the Sudan Armed Forces had taken control of parts of Kadugli, the slaughter began. Security forces went from house to house dragging out...... anyone who was black. They were executed, sometimes with a bullet in...
Tags: Bishop Andudu, Nuba people, Sudan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Monday, 11 July 2011 Africa

Viktor with a group of orphans

2011-06-viktor-with-orphans
This picture will not win any technical awards. You really should not take a photo of people in front of a window. However Viktor will win a great reward for his love and compassion for the orphans and street children in Ukraine. I have said before that I have met many women who are great with kids but I’ve never met a man who is better. Wherever I go I hear children calling out Viktor Mychalaovich, Viktor Mychalaovich and running up to him and giving him a hug. He is like a father to these orphans and street children. We support his ministry as he visits orphanages, hospitals and runs a small shelter for street kids. Every blessing, ...
Tags: Ukraine, Viktor Mychalaovich
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Saturday, 11 June 2011 Ukraine

How far would you go?

2011-05-mundri-bible-college-studentsMundri Bible College students
These Bible College students that I was teaching in Mundri sometimes eat only one meal a day. Two of the students had to bring their whole families to the college because their homes and churches had been burnt to the ground. There are only 16 beds in the college so couples share a single bed and the children sleep on the floor. There are no mosquito nets so the students and families can get very sick. While I was in Mundri, Christians, including the bishop, made huge efforts to have a reconciliation meeting between the Dinka tribe who are cattle owners and the Moru tribe who are farmers to stop the inter tribal attacks and killings. The first meeting was held in the church and the bishop’s speech was broadcast in the news. Dr Legasse is...
Tags: Canon Benaiah Poggo Bible College, Dr. Legasse, John Mono, Mundri, South Sudan
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Wednesday, 11 May 2011 Africa

A picture a month

ian-signature
I was thinking about how keep supporters like yourself more regularly informed about BGN without inundating you with too much information. I decided to try to send a picture a month. I will send you the one for June in a few weeks. If you would rather not receive this information please do let me know. Please find a picture of some children in front of one of the main buildings at Bishop Ngalamu Bible College. You can see how run down the buildings are due to the war. BGN has supported the Bible College last year with $1000 plus we funded 16 beds, mattresses and desks. We have this year just given $3000 towards a College Agricultural project The purpose of the project is: A small scale example to the community of increasing yield by...
Tags: Bishop Ngalamu Bible College, Bringing Good News, Rev Paul Issa, updates from Ian
Posted by Ian Thomson
Ian Thomson
My Name is Ian Thomson and I manage a small property company in England. In 199
User is currently offline
on Sunday, 08 May 2011 Bringing Good News

Our Core Values

Bringing Good News has six core values which guide and determine our actions.

The core values are our aim, a challenge that we seek to live and work by each day.

  • We are CHRISTIAN
    Bringing Good News acknowledges God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We seek to follow Jesus in his identification with the poor and powerless; especially children.
  • We are COMMITTED
    Bringing Good News is committed to both proclamation and social action. We seek to express God's love in both what we say and in what we do.
  • We HELP those in need
    We are called to serve those in the greatest need; to relieve their suffering and to promote their well being. Bringing Good News is committed to help the poor to become self sufficient.
  • We value INTEGRITY
    Integrity with those we serve, our supporters, and other partners. Bringing Good News will act with honesty, truth and transparency. We value financial integrity and accountability.
  • We are STEWARDS
    Bringing Good News is by faith dependent on God for the provision of all our needs. God has given us the responsibility to work with diligence in using the resources he has entrusted to us. God has given us supporters and partners who enable us through their prayers and financial gifts. Bringing Good News believes that it is right to make needs known, so that supporters can pray and give towards those needs.
  • We work in PARTNERSHIP
    Bringing Good News pursues relationships with others, we seek to work in partnership with those individuals and organizations that have common goals and values.